The era of connected health is upon us. Digital products, services and interventions promise to create a more efficient, equitable and patient-centered health system. This transformation can move us from the reactive “sick care” model to a proactive and comprehensive approach, an evolution that is both critical and urgent. As healthcare systems around the world face aging populations, physician shortages, rising healthcare costs, and increasing health disparities, the need for connected health solutions has never been greater. has been clearer.
With billions on the table – to be invested, branand displaced – we find ourselves at a crossroads. Optimally integrated technology can empower patients, reduce the burden of disease and improve overall well-being. Misaligned implementation can lead to fragmented care and inefficiencies, further exacerbating underlying health disparities. Therefore, the promise of digital health depends on key stakeholders working together to create, scale and expand a connected health ecosystem that puts patients and providers at the center.
He Connected Health Collaborative Community (CHcc) by the Society for Digital Medicine (DiMe), co-hosted by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) and with the UMass Chan School of Medicine Digital Medicine Program, impact partner, will unite patients and their health partners care, regulators, payers, health systems, technology and infrastructure providers, medical device companies and other key players. Together, we will address the challenges and opportunities to realize the full potential of connected health.
- Create a continuum of care with connected health
What does “connected health” really entail? It means more than just apps and gadgets. Connected health envisions a future where healthcare transcends the walls of hospitals and clinics, supporting everyone throughout their health journey, from health maintenance to acute interventions. This means reliably and seamlessly leveraging virtual care, remote patient monitoring, and other digital interventions to access high-quality care wherever patients are: at home, at work, or on the go.
This model allows people to play a more active role in their health while relieving strain on overburdened healthcare facilities. By fostering continuous data-driven interactions between patients and their care teams, connected health models will help detect and address health problems early, often before they require costly interventions. And, when higher severity health events occur, the technology stack supporting a connected health model must be adaptable and ready to provide appropriate solutions for different use cases.
While the individual technological components necessary to support this vision exist today, best practices for harmonizing and implementing connected health models are still evolving. Additionally, as with all new approaches to healthcare, expectations and support must be established around safety, equity, outcomes, and reimbursement for the model to thrive and demonstrate tangible return on investment. Without alignment among stakeholders, we are heading towards different goals, confusing the market, patients and regulators alike.
- Scale existing models with new technologies
The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of acute hospital care at home (AHCAH) programs through temporary waivers, allowing hospitals to provide inpatient-level care within homes of patients and provided an avenue for reimbursement and laid the foundation for broader adoption of home programs. care based on the support of advanced technology.
Now is the time to capture the momentum of hospital at home (HaH) model, which has roots that go back decades, fundamentally transform the way healthcare is delivered as hospitals face increasing pressure to do more with less. By leveraging a suite of fit-for-purpose connected health technologies (including remote monitoring, virtual care, and artificial intelligence), hospital-based care at home can deliver results. high qualityCost-effective, patient-centered, cost-effective solutions at a scale that would not otherwise be possible or sustainable.
With the potential With a five-year extension of the AHCAH program, we have a window of reimbursement certainty to expand HaH programs that leverage harmonized and optimized connected health technologies, allowing already successful programs to quickly demonstrate results and returns.
The first project launched under the DiMe Connected Health Collaborative Community will focus on promoting a sustainable hospital-at-home ecosystem at scale, laying the foundation for sustained investment to accelerate and optimize the use of connected health in care programs intensive at home.
- Expand to achieve equity, return on investment and results
Optimizing the HaH technology stack is key to demonstrating unit economics to drive greater investment in the infrastructure, technologies and operations necessary to scale. This, in turn, supports (re)investment in other home-based models. – including skilled nursing at home, aging in place, and peripartum care at home, among others. Establishing a consensus on how to fully define, articulate, and quantify the return on value associated with successful home-based programs is necessary for sustained and expanded adoption of connected healthcare models.
As we look to the future, the vision of connected health is one of empowerment: empowering patients to take control of their health, empowering providers to deliver more personalized and efficient care, and empowering healthcare systems. to meet the changing demands of a complex ecosystem. But realizing this vision will require continued collaboration, innovation, and a shared commitment to health equity.
The CHcc and projects like the hospital at home initiative are lighting the way forward, showing us that a more connected, patient-centered healthcare system is within our reach.
The future of healthcare is connected. Let’s make sure the future is a future where everyone benefits.
Gabrielle Goldblatt is the Partnerships Leader for the Society for Digital Medicine.
Apruv Soni, M.D., Ph.D., is an assistant professor of medicine and director of the Digital Health Program at UMass Chan School of Medicine.
